Over the course of the past ten years, there has been a growing interest and push towards development of new and improved technologies that would create energy from “undepletable” sources. This push has created a division in the population as to their opinions on this type of energy production, with one side arguing in support for fossil fuels and the opposing side arguing for several technologies that fit under the umbrella of “undepletable.” energy production. While the “fossil” fuel industry is one that creates usable power from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil, the renewable energy sector uses fuel sources which do not require burning or destruction in order to perform the task they are harnessed for. Due to the fact that these fuel sources are not mined or harvested from the earth in a way that pulls a combustible agent from the ground, they are considered “undepletable,” because there is an unlimited supply which is not reduced by collection. The fossil fuel industry faces a problem in that their fuel sources are finite and become rarer each year, generally pushing prices upward. The renewable energy sectors use fuel which is unlimited and which has no cost, quite obviously making it a superior method of creating power both in a cleaner and more efficient way. The supporters of fossil fuels cannot argue against these facts, and as support they cite cost as the deciding factor. Currently, fossil fuel power production happens with a cost that is equal or lower than alternative energy production, a situation which can be changed through technological innovation. Supporters of the fossil fuel industry oppose funding this type of innovation due to the obvious threat to their profits, or the belief that the money spent on innovation will not produce a cheaper product.

Why does green energy cost more to produce at the current time? The answer is found in the technologically advanced machinery that is used in the processes. The wind, solar and hydro-electric production methods all utilize advanced high tech computer equipment that appropriately positions turbines or solar panels in order to harvest the maximum amount of the fuel source. The placement of these systems in remote and unobstructed locations makes them vulnerable to weather events like storms and lightning strikes, which provide damage to the installations and system components. An additional factor with regard to lightning strikes is especially problematic, in that because the surge following a lightning strike can travel unobstructed along power lines to any attached equipment. Circuitry in these installations can be damaged or destroyed, both knocking systems offline and stopping the production of power, adding significant costs to the bottom line of the energy producer. These costs for repair and replacement of renewable energy equipment must be factored into the pricing of the final product, thus making it more costly to the consumer than fossil fuels in today’s markets. The technological innovations that can reduce these costs and thereby reduce the pricing pressure are found throughout the supply chain. One such innovation is the development of advanced industrial surge protection devices that can be outfitted at strategic positions in the power production facility. These surge protection devices can eliminate the flow of excess power to equipment following a surge, salvaging it from the expected damage caused after a surge event, and therefore helping to reduce the overall costs of power to the consumer. The future of energy is from undepletable sources, and surge protection devices from Raycap can help to bring that future closer every day.